TODAY we introduce another two of the six candidates for the title of Glasgow's Favourite Business.

The award is part of the Glasgow Business Awards 2014, which are staged by Glasgow Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by Bank of Scotland. Tomorrow we'll let you know how to vote. RUSSELL LEADBETTER reports

IT'S an essential part of going to a concert - or to any big sports event, for that matter.

Buying a souvenir, whether's it a T shirt or a programme, is something we all do. And many of us keep hold of them for years, unable to throw them away.

Few people know more about merchandising on these big occasions than Ian Adie. His Dalmarnock-based company, The Business Incentives Group, has provided merchandising to Glaswegians for many years at concerts, showpiece sports events and civic occasions, such as Glasgow's Hogmanay and Glasgow Loves Christmas.

As Ian says: "You might not have heard of us by name - but the chances are that you have in your house one of our T-shirts, scarves, flags or caps."

Gorbals-born Ian's experience within the business is such that BIG even ran the entire official merchandising operation at this year's UEFA Champions League Final in Lisbon -AND at the UEFA Europa Cup final in Turin.

The company was originally called Scottish Music Merchandising Ltd.

"We started selling T-shirts for Glasgow bands such as Love And Money, Gun, Travis, The Silencers and Wet Wet Wet," Ian says.

"One day my younger brother Alan, who's also a partner in the business, heard somebody say on the radio that football was the new rock 'n' roll.

"By the time we stretched into football we had had a good run at music, having toured with Texas, Runrig, The Waterboys and The Commitments. We still tour with bands and run many major festivals."

In football, the company linked up with adidas. It sold the official merchandising at the UEFA Champions League Final at Hampden in 2002 - notable for Zinedine Zidane's winning goal for Real Madrid - and it has worked with adidas merchandising at every Champions League final since.

BIG is also looking forward to working at the Commonwealth Games, which start next week.

As you might expect from such a busy company, Ian has great memories that money simply can't buy.

"We've worked with great visiting acts such as Avicill, Oasis, the Foo Fighters, Eminem, Radiohead and Kings of Leon," says Ian. He and Alan have met the Gallagher brothers of Oasis on three separate occasions.

He added: "I remember when The Eagles played Hampden in 2009 that I just had to stop the merchandise operation for a few moments to stand and listen to them playing Hotel California."

The enterprising company trademarked the Tartan Army name in 1997, and the name of fabled Glasgow boxer Benny Lynch in 2010.

That said, not everything the company touches turns into gold.

Ian, for example, has the world's only T-shirt celebrating Celtic as UEFA Cup winners in Seville in 2003 - he jokes that he "couldn't destroy all of the T-shirts" after the Celts lost to Porto.

And if Rangers had won the 2008 UEFA Cup in Manchester, and if Scotland had managed to qualify for the 1994 World Cup in America ... "Well," he quips, "I'd be talking to you from the Bahamas!"

l www.thebigroup.co.uk

IT'S not everyone who gets paid to indulge their passion. But Angela Richardson is in that fortunate position.

She set up on her own just over four years ago after being made redundant from her job as a buyer in the construction industry.

Her thriving company is called Walkbusters. Simply, she exercises other people's dogs - but the services she offers also include doggy daycare, a pet taxi service, toilet trips for puppies or older dogs, doggy sleepovers (in which the dog stays in her own home) and a cat-visiting service.

"Dogs had always been my passion," says Angela, 36. "I grew up with them, and had my own. I decided it would be an ideal business to get into."

"It's a big step, setting up on your own," she reflects. "I started out with one dog, and it took me six months to begin to earn a wage.

"It was a massive life change for me, but I was absolutely determined to make it a success, because of my passion for dogs."

Her website brings her a lot of business, as do word-of-mouth and business cards deposited in vets' surgeries and dog-grooming salons.

Angela walks dogs from a substantial part of Glasgow west - Anniesland, Canniesburn, Yoker, Scotstoun, Whiteinch, Cleveden, Drumchapel, Kelvindale, Jordanhill, Broomhill, Hyndland, Partick and Glasgow Harbour.

She has also been careful to acquire all the paperwork that she believes a reputable dogwalker needs, including a Disclosure Scotland certificate, full insurance and first-aid certificate for both canines and humans.

"I now have 35 clients, which is fantastic. I could easily have had double that, but for the time being I do not want to expand, because then it doesn't mean personal care.

"At the end of the day, people come to know you by name and trust your reputation. After all, it's their dogs you have in your care.

"I've kept this as a small business, with just myself in charge. You can bond with the dogs, which is important."

She adds: "The job is much more than a hobby for me. I am serious about it. I love it.

"It can be stressful sometimes when you are exercising a pack of dogs in a public park and you don't know if you will encounter other people's dogs. You don't know how they will react to your dogs.

"And if it's a really hot day, some of your dogs might struggle in the heat.

"But apart from occasional weather hazards, I don't really see a downside to my job.

"I've had all my dogs for years. I know them inside-out. I'm not money-orientated. The only reason I'm doing this job is the dogs.

"This is my dream job. I'm getting paid to do my hobby, basically."

l walkbusters.co.uk